Mines, Safety and Investment Returns |
| Monday, 03 December 2007 | |
|
240,000 South African miners are participating in a 24 hour strike to protest safety conditions
Un-Corpobligation quote: "The strike is just a prelude of things to come, things are coming to a head," Nick Goodwin, a resources analyst, told Reuters. "Any changes to mine design as a result of this audit would affect the costs, and hurt the company's bottom line," he added.
International Safety Standards may Cost
Safety may cost something but it may also reduce costs:
1. Workers can avoid suffering and lost wages
2. Companies avoid delays, damage to property, and reputation losses
3. Society can avoid the fallout of having to clean up and care for victims of disasters.
But Safety is a Human Right
ICESCR (International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights ) Article 7:
Article 7
The
States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right of everyone to the
enjoyment of just and favourable conditions of work which ensure, in
particular:
...
(b) Safe and healthy
working conditions;
So governments have obligations to guarantee safe working conditions, but what about Corporations. They have legal obligations to follow a countries legal health and safety standards but do they have any obligations beyond legal? Companies like Gold Fields are making strong safety commitments:
Gold Fields remains committed to the objective that no employee should suffer an injury or acquire a disease while in the employ of the Group, and that fatalities and injuries sustained at its operations should be reduced to zero. Regrettably, 29 of our colleagues (F2006: 39) were killed in mining-related accidents during F2007. This constitutes a fatal injury frequency rate of 0.19 per million hours worked (F2006: 0.29). All fatalities occurred at the Group’s South African operations. The Australian operations, Damang and Choco 10 have maintained their record of zero fatal accidents since being acquired by Gold Fields. Tarkwa has had two fatalities in ten years. The National Union of Mineworkers aims to hold them to this commitment, calling for: "ZERO FATALITIES NOW, EMPTY COMMITMENTS LATER!"
Perhaps the answer is to create international obligations that enforce higher standards as proposed in Canada and internationally .
Background Sites:
     |
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
